In January, Wagner bestowed a rare honor to recognize a very special achievement by a former Seahawk.
Andrew Bailey '06 crowned a spectacular first season in Major League Baseball when he was named the American League's 2009 Rookie of the Year. The hard-throwing right-hander for the Oakland As saved a rookie club record 26 games — the last 21 consecutively.
Bailey's Seahawk number 17 was retired at halftime of the January 28 men's home basketball game. He is only the fourth Seahawk to be honored in this way, joining Joe Doyle '99 (baseball), Alonzo Patterson '83 (football), and Terrance Bailey '87 (basketball). He is the second Seahawk to be named AL Rookie of the Year; the late Curt Blefary of the Baltimore Orioles received the title in 1965.
“I remember going to that gym and watching all the home basketball games,” Bailey told MLB.com the day after the ceremony. “So I never thought I'd be there retiring my number, especially so soon. Wagner will always have a special place in my heart. That's where I spent four of my years, and that college really got me to the next level.”
Hot Stuff Very few Wagner student-athletes' numbers have been retired — 2009 AL Rookie of the Year Andrew Bailey '06 is only the fourth. But could he be the first Wagner alumnus to become a character in a video game? The company 2K Sports made him one in MLB 2K10.
